This review may contain spoilers
Good Love Story
What a lovely and refreshing drama!I watched this drama not only based on the beautiful pictures but also the storyline. Even though it is 24 episodes at around 11 minutes each it is well done and worth the watch.
A Mu/Shen Yu Xi infiltrates the Red Stone Villa for revenge on Chu Jing Chen's father who killed her parents. How she does that is by disguising herself as a man and becoming Chu Jing Chen's personal bodyguard. We all know that she will get discovered sooner rather than later. But when she is poisoned while taking a bath, he discovers her "star tattoo" on her shoulder and realizes this is the girl that saved him when he was kidnapped as a child.
His oldest brother who is in a wheelchair resents everything about Chu Jing Chen but hides his true feelings. But when Chu Jing Chen tells his father and brother that he will not marry the girl that his father has chosen for him to expand the villa because of his feelings for A Mu, we think we will see happiness. But alas, just when he tells A Mu that he wants to be with her, she finds the note that he says that he will not fall in love with her. A Mu tells him to go ahead with the wedding. Chu Jing Chen is so angry that he agrees to marry his father's choice even though he has told everyone, even the bride that he doesn't love her.
The wedding commences and we find that the bride is A Mu. We never know what happened to the original bride. A Mu attempts to kill Chu Jing Chen's father at the wedding but is stopped by Chu Jing Chen himself. After telling her to run away, A Nian is fighting off the guards from the villa. Chu Jing Chen arrives and finds an injured A Mu. He takes her to his mother's hidden place that only he and A Nian know about. Explanations are made and he reveals he knows who she is. They then finish the wedding ceremony.
Chu Jing Chen goes back to see his father. His father is agreeable with his marriage, now with her true name of Shen Yu Xi. He goes back to tell her that all is well. But that at his brother's suggestion he will go to the sect of the girl he was supposed to marry and apologize in person. He tells Shen Yu Xi that he won't be long and left A Nian with her for protection. But they didn't get far after all of his guards are poisoned drinking tea at the rest stop. But luckily A Liang, his other personal bodyguard, stopped Chu Jing Chen before he drank his. He then thinks about Shen Yu Xi and races back to her only to find her and A Nian gone.
He eventually finds her and A Nian. They both had been drugged with a powerful aphrodisiac in which A Nian took her hairpin to cut himself so that he would not lose control and attack her.
They find out it is the brother that was the real killer of Shen Yu Xi's parents and not Chu Jing Chen's father. His father after finding out that his oldest son had killed Shen Yu Xi's parents had cut his wrist and his tendons to walk hence him begin in a wheelchair. The father and brother do die.
The sad part was that A Nian fell in love with Shen Yu Xi. He never revealed his love to her, but I believe that both Chu Jing Chen and Shen Yu Xi knew how he felt that is why he left in the end. Then we had A Liang who was with the wheelchair bound brother who was so disappointed and upset that he no longer wanted to stay at the villa either, so he left as well.
But there was happiness for Chu Jing Chen and Shen Yu Xi because she discovered that she was pregnant, and they were going to have a child.
In the end, I found this to be just one of those nicely done dramas that has plenty of kisses and beautiful moments that can send your heart racing. The ML is really nice on the eyes, oh and always kissing her. The FL is a good compliment to him as well.
Very enjoyable and is definitely rewatchable.
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I thought this drama was really loving and sweet. I like it a lot. Sure it needed a few things to make it better but it wasn't bad. I'm glad I watched this drama. I enjoyed watching it very much.
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1
1This review may contain spoilers
it just clicks with me
I think that this is Wong Kar-wai's cinematic masterpiece. It is a dreamlike exploration of love, loss, and the human condition. It's a film that lingers in the mind, a haunting melody that plays on repeat. I remember the first time I watched it, I was mesmerized by its beauty and complexity."The past is never over. It's just a story we tell ourselves."
The film is a tapestry of interconnected stories, each one a poignant reflection on the complexities of human relationships. Tony Leung's portrayal of Chow Mo-wan is nothing short of iconic. His nuanced performance captures the character's loneliness and yearning with a haunting intensity.
"Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late."
Zhang Ziyi's performance as Bai Ling is equally captivating. Her character is a mysterious and alluring figure, a woman who seems to embody the very essence of desire. Her chemistry with Tony Leung is palpable, and their scenes together are electric.
"Time is a thief, stealing the present from the future."
The film's nonlinear narrative structure adds to its dreamlike quality. It's like a puzzle, with pieces scattered across time and space. As the viewer, we're invited to piece together the fragments of the story, to connect the dots and discover the underlying meaning.
"Love is all a matter of timing. It's no good meeting the right person too soon or too late."
At its heart, 2046 is a film about the human condition. It explores themes of love, loss, memory, and the passage of time. The characters are constantly searching for love and connection, but they are often doomed to disappointment. The past haunts them, and they struggle to let go of their regrets.
"In love you can't bring on a substitute. When the Peony blooms, she stands tall. Does she mean no or yes?"
Wong Kar-wai's signature visual style is on full display in 2046. The vibrant colors, the stunning cinematography, and the evocative music create a truly immersive cinematic experience. The film's soundtrack, composed by Shigeru Umebayashi, is the perfect complement to the film's melancholic tone. It's a haunting melody that lingers in the mind long after the movie ends.
"Maybe one day you'll escape your past. If you dream hard enough."
2046 is a film that demands patience and attention. It's not a straightforward narrative, but a series of interconnected stories that unfold slowly and deliberately. But if you're willing to let yourself get lost in its dreamlike world, you'll be rewarded with a truly unforgettable cinematic experience.
"I once fell in love with someone. I couldn't stop wondering if she loved me or not. I went to 2046 hoping to find her there. But I never found her."
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Girl from nowhere? Nah
Before we start, yes there are indeed similarities between GFN and this drama however at the same they are quite different from one another in terms of plot. Each episode is a continuous storyline so not to worry about having a different plot in each episode.Story;
The story.., ah how to describe, I wouldn't say predictable but for me it lacked a little something but that's just my preference maybe because I have watched a lot of thrillers. Some scenes are creepy but nothing too heavy or any jump scares so don't be scared! It did feel very short though I hope they added some elements into it because It did make me want to watch the next episode immediately.
Acting;
Loved it. Nothing too much or unnatural, everyone played their part well.
Music;
I FUCKING LOVED THE TRACK
Incase anyone needs it, its 断面 by Dios.
Overall, just go for it. Its just 23 mins long, 7 episodes; good for a late night watch if you're bored.
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it lost me
Overall: though the man m/m dynamic was not my favorite*, the first few episodes were set up and done well, but then the plot deteriorated and by the end I was angry. Note that there is an extra scene after initial credits. Aired on Gagaoolala and Viki.Content Warnings: physical abuse/physical assault off screen but wounds shown, punches, non con kiss, mental health struggles, manhandling, manipulation, dentist/patient, age gap (10? years), if you have anxiety about dental visits then there are some scenes that might make it worse
What I Liked
- the sweet moments
- a few funny moments
- acting
- good kissing/continued physical affection
- dance scene at the end
- production value
Room For Improvement
- *the cold dentist and the vulnerable/traumatized (continuous) patient was not a favorite dynamic, I didn't like the side immature high schooler and reluctant bar manager either
- too many couples (4) most of which did not have enough development and 1 of which was extremely rushed
- the sister punching Jin Xun An twice and trying to punch him in the face was awful, you can care about your sibling but Bai Lang is a fully grown adult and you don't physically assault people, speaking of
- WTH was that with the dad, he's a total abuser but then on screen shown as a little grumpy and basically has no consequences (i.e. he should go to JAIL!!!!) This being glossed over was awful and it was totally unnecessary to the plot. He could have been the standard homophobe like the majority of BL parents.
- way too much time spent on flashback and showing an entire past relationship that I cared nothing about
- cliche ex enters the picture which leads to
- terrible communication skills for adults in their 20s/30s
- a straight wedding in the only Asian country where same sex marriage is legal complete with a bait and switch proposal had me fuming
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wasted potential...
cw/ spoiler warning: sa, abuse, harrassment, plot in generalFirst of all I want to say this series had major pacing issues, the first 6 episodes could've been 3 episodes and the last 2 should've been 4-5 episodes. I know the most of the plot happens in the first episodes but still.
I really liked the cast, they did their best with what they were given.
Now, the wasted potential comes from Tae-Yi and Juha, both of them were way too problematic to be redeemed with one shitty apology. Juha had like 3 scenes where he harrassed/ borderline assaulted Se-Heon (given his internalized homophobia his actions are more nuanced and his hug scene with Doyoon is a great start to redemption), but Tae-Yi??????? He assaults Se-Heon physically and verbally and then s*xually?????? For no good reason????? Foul. I can't believe Se-Heon forgave him so easily because first his reaction to that kiss and then his action outside the bar were absolutely horrible and his apology was just "sorry that I hurt you" like be fr.
If we only saw Tae-Yi verbally warning Se-Heon and then warming up around ep 4 it would've been excusable because his mental state was still bad because of his brother.
Briefly touching on Juha and Do-Yoon's "kiss": obviously kisses aren't the most important part of a bl, and actors shouldn't do it if they don't want to, but this excecution was just really lazy, in my opinion it would've worked exactly the same if not better if it was a kiss on the cheek. I'm also a bit dissappointed we never got a conclusion to their story, even if they just remained friends they could've shown up at the end.
That was all I have to say I think, in conclusion it had a lot of potential but they lost it near the end.
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It is by turns silly and touching. After all, the stories are set every week at a Child Welfare center and they involve stories of abuse, neglect and abandonment. Those working at the center take their jobs very seriously but the situations are handled sensitively and with a light touch with emphasis on the help the children are given.
There is also the very comedic "Freaky Friday" like situation of the two main characters switching souls. I, like most was wondering...do those two scenarios even fit together? The answer is yes, they do. Because watching a timid, by the book earnest social worker switch bodies with a hardened gangster with a reluctant heart of gold turns out to be a surprisingly winning combination.
Let me also say that Matsuda Shota is turning out to be a talented chameleon-like actor who can pull off amazingly dramatic moments while also having a real talent for physical comedy. You can see it if you watch Meitante No Okite, but in Don Quixote, he perfects the skill. His 'old Gangster in a young man's body' persona had me in stitches. He curses and grumbles and gets dragged into situations he absolutely does not want to be in and that is comedy gold!
The supporting cast was great. I loved all of Shirota's co-workers at the Child Center and I loved the quirky family like loyalty and atmosphere of Sabashima's crew. They all had their own personalities but weren't over utilized and didn't take away from the main story lines. I liked the episodic feel of the weekly situations and problems solved at the Child Center.
This show is dramatic but not overly so with tender and touching moments. There are moments I laughed out loud and actually rewound to watch and laugh again. At 11 episodes it didn't drag on and was just the right amount of time for a story of this nature. If you haven't seen Don Quixote, I really recommend it. It is a charming drama about family, friendship, honor and doing the right thing; both for those you love and for those in need.
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Set in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, "Cold Case" follows Yuri Ishikawa (Yo Yoshida) and her team as they try to crack unresolved cold cases.
Drama: Cold Case
Romaji: Korudo Kesu: Shinjitsu no Tobira
Japanese: ?????????????
Director: Takafumi Hatano
Writer: Takahisa Zeze, Yasuhiro Yoshida
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The cinematography was good. It was able capture the life at the time of Joseon era in vivid colours.
The acting was outstanding. Each character portrayed their roles exceptionally well. I love all the characters in this drama. The female lead who is willing to sacrifice her own life and fight for the man she loves. The male lead who is conflicted and torn between his loyalty to his family and for the love of the woman he shouldn’t have. The antagonist for being so good at being the evil villain. The supporting characters were also good and endearing. They’ve become vital part of the story that without them the story would have been incomplete.
The Princess’ Man is undeniably the best drama I’ve ever watched so highly recommend it to everyone.
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Oh Thats it?
Its fluffy and nice, and probably too short for its own good. Even if its something you will forget after a few days, I stiill enjoyed it though.I will have to admit that i got to watch it years after it was aired -as there were mostly not-so-great reactions to it during the original airing, that i simply just brushed it off. Also it was aired at almost exactly the same time as some of the most famous and praised BL of the time (Semantic Error, Cherry Blossoms After WInter and Blueming ) so this series just simply didnt stand a chance that time.
I finally got to see it (right after One:High School Series was aired), and at a time when i was looking for light series to watch. it was a blessing to see all episode in one bingeing because id probably like it a lot less if id have to wait for two 15 minutes episodes per week.
I really liked the whole tone of the series - the lack of budget was pretty obvious, and it looked like the whole series was probably shot in less than a week's time at the most. It was obviously intendedas a movie that was divided into 8 mini tiny episodes - with very little to non-existent cliffhangers after each episode.
What i liked:
1. Cute leads, even the second M-F couple looked good too.
2. Sung Kyun is probably only one of the few Korean actors who has noticeable natural groin on screen (loved the gym scene)
3. Characters are all likeable so they all made up for the small details and inconsistencies.
What i dislike:
1. No real character development especially for the 2 main leads - Ye Min and Bong Deok at least got a little backstory scenes where there is nothing for Cheol Soo and Seol Won.
2. You call those kisses? For real? Dont cast actors for BLs if they dont want to engage in actual kissing.
3. As much as i liked the lead actors, their limited time onscreen together hasnt really made me feel attached to their characters and budding love.
4. Also as much as i liked the M-F second couple, the problem was that they took precious time away from our main couple. The series should have focused more on Cheol Soo and Seol Won.
5. Who in their right minds decided its ok to shower with the towel wrapped around your waste? Dont make shower scenes if you are too prude to even do it right.
With the onslaught of so many trashy new BL contents being aired right now - some of which are taking themselves too seriously (and too racy) at the cost of being convulated, its at least refresing to go back a little bit in time to find something that is so basic, simple and entertaining. I would probably enjoy it better if the episodes were at least 10min longer so we can actually see real progression and would have loved to see at least a full episode of the 2 leads as actual lovers
.
Easy to watch and rewatch!
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DAYUM
How do you even review Not Me The Series when it fundamentally altered your brain chemistry and then handed you a Molotov cocktail?This show really looked at the BL genre and said, "What if we added political corruption, class inequality, police brutality, social activism, identity crises, found family, motorcycles, and enough emotional damage to last a lifetime?"
Gun Atthaphan walked in, played twins, and casually reminded everyone why he's one of the best actors in Thailand. Black and White were two completely different people, and somehow my brain forgot they were played by the same person every single episode.
And Sean? Angry, stubborn, emotionally constipated Sean? Watching him slowly fall for White while simultaneously trying to overthrow the system was an experience I was not prepared for.
SeanWhite wasn't just romance. It was trust, healing, understanding, and two people learning that they didn't have to carry the weight of the world alone.
Then Dan and Yok showed up and collectively decided that happiness was overrated and emotional devastation was the superior option. First and Gawin delivered a storyline so beautiful and heartbreaking that I still haven't financially recovered.
Gram, Eugene, Namo, Tod, Black, and the entire gang felt real in a way that very few shows manage to achieve. They argued, they failed, they made mistakes, they fought for what they believed in, and somehow they made us want to fight alongside them.
And can we talk about Director Anucha Boonyawatana for a second? Because she didn't just direct a BL series — she created art.
The graffiti.
The symbolism.
The colors.
The camera angles.
The mirrors.
The lighting.
The use of space.
The way every frame looked like it had something important to say.
This wasn't just storytelling. This was filmmaking.
The writers somehow balanced political commentary, social criticism, action, suspense, friendship, and romance without losing the heart of the story for even a second.
The production team absolutely refused to play it safe, and thank God they didn't.
And the soundtrack? Criminally underrated. Every song arrived precisely when it needed to either make you feel invincible or emotionally destroy you.
One minute you're screaming over SeanWhite.
The next you're crying over DanYok.
Five minutes later you're googling activism movements and questioning capitalism.
Not Me wasn't a BL.
It was a protest.
A love letter to activism.
A middle finger to injustice.
A cinematic masterpiece disguised as a television series.
10/10.
Would absolutely hop on the back of Sean's motorcycle, spray paint a wall, overthrow systemic inequality, and get emotionally attached to this chaotic found family all over again.
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Probably the best drama of all time
After binge watching Yanxi Palace in three days three nights it has done quite some damage to my emotions towards dramas I watched after that. My feelings getting attached to dramas takes time but this.. This drama had me hooked instantly like never before? The romance really saves the drama honestlySTORY: 9.8 It's not face paced nor slow paced but perfectly right in the middle. I feel like if more characters died I would've been more emotional but it's a good thing that the drama didn't lose too much of the characters like xueman and yizhou. Ngl I do enjoy dramas that contains misunderstandings and jealousy. Just brings spice into it, this drama didn't had much but it's still really good. Nothing bad about the story, I'm honestly happy about the ending, still sad that the main couple lost their first unborn child so was wishing to see them have kids or have some scene in the future! (Really really hope they have a S2) in general and overall, no complaints
ACTING: 10 The acting is just *chef kisses* allen's acting did NOT disappoint. I love how he fits the young, free, and funny role to a more darker mature role. He rely suits it, and I'm looking forward to watch Under the Power after this! Zhang Hui Wen's acting is wiite good, may need some more skills and practicing but she has a lot of potential! All the other characters wether its support or the main role did an AMAZING job. not to mention the martial art scenes where they fight is so fucking clean and high quality. It's almost like it's very different from other dramas, its so cleannn. In geberal and overall: 10 would'e took 0.2 points off bc of zhang hui wen's acting but I'll just let it slide
MUSIC: 10 Loveeeee the osts!! Absolutely beautiful!! And the bgm really fits the situations. And the sounds are very high quality too. No complaints honestly
REWATCH VALUE: 100/10 There were SO many memorable scenes I can't even count how many times I've replayed it before even finishon the drama. (Never knew facial expressions would make me replay it 10x tehe) From my journey of starting to watch C dramas actively from 2017 until now, I'd never thought of finding a drama that I get so attached to until now. It's been a while since I've felt like this. Debating if this is #2 or #1 favorite dramas of all time..
Overall: 10/10 It was good, although didn't make me cry from previous dramas (probably because of after watching yanxi palace) Until the final episodes where rong hua got killed and nalan yue running towards her crying just made me so emotional to drop a tear. What really got me was rong su and yizhou. They deserve a happy ending.. (Can we talk about how pretty rong su is in that formal *lady like* costume?? The baby blue and flower pins and that hair downnn suits her so well *ched kiss* She looks so good :() I'm really satisfied with this drama but will take me a few days to get over with. I reay wished to see them with their future kids tbh was really wishing that, then I would've been completed.
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cute but rushed
Overall: this was cute but they tried to cover too much plot and it felt jumpy/rushed. 8 episodes total, about 20 minutes per episode. Aired on GagaOOLala and Viki.Content Warnings: none
What I Liked
- that opening scene isn't super common in fiction (but very common in real life)
- funny moments
- the characterizations/opposite personalities
- the friendships especially Han Ji Yu and Ji Hoon, that's the friend who tells you honestly that you got a bad haircut lol
- need a spin off with the friend and the new character introduced at the end
Room For Improvement
- they needed to narrow the plot because scenes would quickly jump from 1 to another and it felt rushed overall, they didn't clearly explain some parts
- I thought that scene at the end of episode 1 was a preview for next week but it was actually an extra scene in the first episode. The second episode had it as well with an extended scene before the next week's preview. This was a bit confusing.
- having a conversation while someone is on the toilet
- too many falls
- the dead fish lip presses
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The story is a fairly basic one, but I thought the actors in the show played their parts very well. I haven't read the manga, but I thought each of the actors looked great (love you MatsuJun!) and at no point was I cringing due to wooden acting. I really hated Saeko, and I thought Ishihara Satomi played her part to perfection. However, I felt the strength of this show was in it's supporting characters- Rikudo, Sekiya, Kaoruko etc. They provided the comedy when the main storyline got a bit too much.
The music was great- not only did I LOVE the Arashi song, the other music was very well suited to the show.
I probably won't rewatch this show again- hence the low rewatch value score, but overall I enjoyed this drama. It's definitely a great one to watch when you want an interesting mix of melodrama and comedy.
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